jemadar

American  

[jem-uh-dahr] / ˈdʒɛm əˌdɑr /

noun

1. any of various government officials.

2. the supervisor of a staff of servants.

3. an officer in a sepoy regiment, corresponding in rank to a lieutenant.

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jemadar British  

/ ˈdʒɛməˌdɑː /

noun

1. a native junior officer belonging to a locally raised regiment serving as mercenaries in India, esp with the British Army (until 1947)

2. an officer in the Indian police

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Etymology

Origin of jemadar

1755–65; < Urdu jamadar, variant of jamdar < Persian < Arabic jamʿ aggregation + Persian dār holding, leader of

Example Sentences

“Get the men together, Akhab Khan,” he said to the jemadar.

From The Red Year A Story of the Indian Mutiny by Tracy, Louis

This was pressed by the jemadar, and acceded to by myself, as the very utmost I could afford.

From The Discovery of the Source of the Nile by Speke, John Hanning

Thy father, my dear, is the jemadar Of a province which stretches wide and far; And his brother, my child, is a moonsif great, Who ruleth o'er many a ryot's fate.

From Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 433 Volume 17, New Series, April 17, 1852 by Chambers, Robert

There was no difficulty, as the jemadar foresaw.

From What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile by Speke, John Hanning

The Colonel then gave the jemadar of our party a present of 25 dollars, and to each of the privates 20 dollars, to set themselves up for the journey.

From What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile by Speke, John Hanning